Plate Walls Are a Timeless Interior Accent: How to Get the Look

As traditional interior design styles swing back into popularity, it’s a good time to revisit the plate wall. A common element of cottage, farmhouse, and traditional decorating, plates add color and pattern for a truly unique statement piece. “It adds another dimension to your wall in a way a regular painting or mirror can’t do,” says Michael Mitchell, principal designer and founder of Michael Mitchell.

Although a well-established decor element, today’s plate walls have many contemporary influences. One of the biggest factors is simply a shift in lifestyle. “People aren’t entertaining as traditionally anymore,” says Mitchell. “There’s a declined need for the usage of these stunning pieces as people turn to more simple, modern plates that can be thrown in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.” Instead, decorative plate displays are one way that beloved heirlooms are finding new life. “This is a really nice way to use inherited things in a fresh way,” says Mitchell. 

Anthony Barzilay Freund, editorial director at 1stDibs, highlights several broad design trends inspiring today’s plate walls, including interest in multicultural spaces. “The decorative motifs and color schemes found on many plates from around the world make them an appealing and relatively affordable way to import some international flair into your home,” says Freund.

Freund also notes a “growing appetite for ceramic sculptural pieces and three-dimensional works within the contemporary art world."  A third example from Freund is so simple it could be easily overlooked, but the influence is immense: DIY and the satisfaction that comes from it. “If you’re clever and thoughtful about the way you arrange the plates, or the location you chose for them, you’re expressing your own creativity as well as that of the artisans who made them,” says Freund. 

Choosing Colors and Patterns for a Plate Wall

Establishing a collection of plates may seem daunting, but there are numerous ways you can approach finding the right mix. “Selecting plates that work well together is really an individual preference,” says Brittany Zimmerman of Bleu Bee Designs. “You can start by just collecting one-off pieces that speak to you as you find them in your adventures.” 

Or you can be more strategic, collecting around a common theme, like a color or pattern, says Zimmerman. Parameters can make collecting easier, and a more selective approach may better fit your decorating style. 

Ultimately, your collection may be eclectic, varied, and organic, or something more consistent and tailored. Either option works, and your choice will depend on your home’s style and what pieces, if any, you're starting out with.

Don’t Worry About Matching Too Closely

“I think that classic porcelain doesn’t have to match the room,” says Mitchell. “The rule of thumb is to treat it like it’s art! It’s there to shock the room; it doesn’t have to be a one-for-one match.” Mitchell uses the example of the many timeless blue-and-white plate patterns that have been decorating walls for decades. “[They] are one of those staples that can go just as nicely with purple, pink, or vivid green—with no other blue or white,” says Mitchell. 

Plate walls are also an opportunity to introduce color into your decor, even when it isn’t already there. “I always encourage clients that are hesitant to bring in a new color to their home to do so in a small area,” says Zimmerman. “A plate wall is a great option to inject more of that hue in your home, and then slowly add it in other places.”

Collect Around a Color

“Working with a common color is a no-fail recipe for a cohesive plate wall,” says Zimmerman. Multiple shades of a single color still allow you to play with sizes and shapes. Limiting your scheme to a single color can help with successful pattern mixing, too. A classic plate combination is blue and white. “You can mix all sorts of blue and white China patterns such as blue willow, chinoiserie, transferware, or Blue Onion pieces,” Zimmerman says. 

Balance Patterns with a Solid Color

To keep a varied collection from feeling too chaotic, Zimmerman suggests choosing a single color for the majority (white is an easy option), then mix in some colorful patterns. “You could use all ironstone ware and pop in plates with a variety of colors,” says Zimmerman. “For example, a Mottadeh Tobacco Leaf print would be a great pop of color against solid plates.”

Mix in Other Elements

A plate wall doesn’t have to solely incorporate traditional china. Similar pieces, like platters and other serving ware, can help vary scale and shape without stepping too far outside the general idea. Another option Zimmerman suggests is expanding materials to include silver or copper pieces, which still fall in the same realm of tableware but offer new textures, dimensions, and colors. 

Zimmerman also recommends expanding beyond plate and plate-adjacent pieces. “I also love arranging plates with other three-dimensional objects such as corbels, sconces, mirrors, or perhaps a small piece of canvas art,” she says. “The magic is in the mismatch, so embrace the imperfect collection!” Incorporating plates with other pieces into maximalist wall decor can help the often traditional decor complement more contemporary and transitional spaces. “More is more, and maximalism is always in!” adds Zimmerman. 

Tell a Story

For help with a mismatched approach, try using the collecting process as inspiration. “I’m a firm believer that slowly collecting as you find pieces you love is the best approach,” says Zimmerman. “The adventure of the hunt is half the story behind your plate wall!” Plates collected during travels, thrifted on girls' trips, or picked out at farmers' markets can have a story that ties them together, regardless of their aesthetic.

Focus on a Single Style

If you’ve inherited an antique dinnerware collection, a simple solution is to stick with that style or pattern. Use the plates you already have, or add to it by collecting additional sizes and shapes in the same or similar pattern. Online marketplaces like 1stDibs, eBay, or even Etsy are ideal for hunting down specific styles and patterns. 

Some plate styles are so traditional or well-known, they can easily make a collection on their own. For example, Zimmerman highlights iconic styles like Bordallo Pinhero cabbage and the Famille Rose pattern. Some of the most popular plate styles on 1stDibs include majolica, Meissen, Imari, Delft, Wedgewood, Limoges, and Royal Copenhagen. “Whether these are ending up on people’s walls or dining room tables is a question we can’t fully answer, but the robust interest in them shows that many folks understand the ways in which beautiful china can enhance their domestic spaces,” says Freund. 

Depending on the pattern, this approach can work well for formal decorating styles as well as more contemporary or whimsical spaces. The arrangement you choose will help reinforce the effect.

How to Arrange a Plate Wall

“For plate walls, it’s more about the arrangement than anything else,” says Mitchell. The structure and layout of the plates can often make more of an impact than the objects themselves, so Mitchell recommends first taking time to collect the plates, then working out the arrangement to suit the space. In other words: don’t hang them as you find them. “I’m very methodical in my plate arrangements,” says Mitchell. “Sporadically adding pieces can make it seem more chaotic and cluttered rather than thoughtful and curated."

Find the Space

While plate walls are traditional in areas like kitchens and dining rooms, Mitchell says they can work in other areas of the home, too. “If you have a sweet, frilly, pink pattern that maybe is an heirloom and that becomes the starting palette for your guest room, there’s no reason to not display it in there,” says Mitchell.

Another option is to use architectural features to inspire the arrangement. “If you’re wanting to bring two rooms together, you can fill a corner of adjoining walls with plates,” says Zimmerman. “I like to use big platters above doorways in kitchens, dining rooms, or even in solariums,” says Mitchell, who also recommends pairing an arched pattern with a cathedral ceiling. 

Anchor the Arrangement 

“Depending on the shape you choose, I would begin by anchoring the shape with two or three larger pieces like a platter, and then filling in with small and medium-sized plates,” says Zimmerman. 

You can also try using another element in the room to anchor the plate wall. “I love creating a large plate wall to balance out a large piece of furniture, say above a server or banquette,” says Zimmerman, while Mitchell suggests flanking either side of a cabinet. But it doesn’t have to revolve around furniture: Mitchell says another element of wall decor, such as a mirror or painting, can act as the foundation, with plates along the top or sides. 

Keep It Simple

Arrangements can be whimsical and free-flowing, or they can be straight and geometric. “I tend to lean towards a more structured look for my arrangements,” says Mitchell. “I don’t mind mixing sizes, but if we’re pairing things it’s better to try and match sizes.”

Plate walls don’t even have to include many plates to be impactful. “Don’t overlook small walls,” says Zimmerman. “These are the perfect opportunity to showcase a linear plate wall of two or three showstoppers.”

Try Multiple Layouts

Both Zimmerman and Mitchell suggest trying out different arrangements on the floor as you start to craft your display. This helps to get a sense of the scale and gives a better idea of how it will look. “I always recommend using painters tape on the floor to mark out how much wall space you have to fill,” says Zimmerman. You can arrange the plates themselves or trace them on paper before arranging the cutouts; that way, you aren't leaving fragile decor on the floor. "You can arrange 'til your heart’s content—before you start making holes in the wall!” Zimmerman says.

How to Mount Plates to Walls

When it’s time to hang up your arrangement, there’s a few options that work well for plates. “I like to use the invisible English disc adhesive, which is a circle that sticks to the back of the plate,” says Mitchell. “These are better than the old metal spring mechanisms, as these hold the plate closer to the wall.” He also notes that a dab of adhesive on the bottom of a plate can help it stay in place rather than swinging off kilter. “There are also great adhesives used on yachts to keep accessories from flying around that can help keep the plates in place.”